Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Length of likely recount depends on GOP's legal plans
  Democrat Mark Dayton will likely come out ahead of the recount retaining a several thousand vote lead, but the process will drag on into next year if Republican Tom Emmer and the GOP file a lawsuit.3:20 p.m.
• Walter and Joan Mondale -- an enduring love story
  The story of Walter Mondale's rise from Minnesota politics to the world stage is detailed in his new autobiography, "The Good Fight: A Life in Liberal Politics." The part of his life that is less well known is his half-century long romance with his wife, Joan.3:24 p.m.
• Folk musician KT Tunstall reinvents herself
  After producing such hits as "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" and "Suddenly I See," folk Scottish singer KT Tunstall disappeared for a while. Now she's back with a new band, a new album and a new style.4:52 p.m.
• Prostitution ring suspects argue for release
  More defendants indicted this week in an alleged multi-state sex-trafficking ring appeared in court Wednesday for detention hearings in Minneapolis, while some of their relatives proclaimed their innocence.5:20 p.m.
• Length of likely recount depends on GOP's legal plans
  Democrat Mark Dayton will likely come out ahead of the recount retaining a several thousand vote lead, but the process will drag on into next year if Republican Tom Emmer and the GOP file a lawsuit.5:24 p.m.
• Met Council trims Twin Cities highway projects
  The Metropolitan Council approved a plan Wednesday to cut back on transportation projects in the Twin Cities metro area over the next two decades. Lack of money is the main reason for the change.5:50 p.m.
• Walter and Joan Mondale -- an enduring love story
  The story of Walter Mondale's rise from Minnesota politics to the world stage is detailed in his new autobiography, "The Good Fight: A Life in Liberal Politics." The part of his life that is less well known is his half-century long romance with his wife, Joan.5:54 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• In Israel, When Is A Jew Not Jewish Enough?
  The question of Jewish identity is troubling the Israel Defense Forces -- and it's affecting a number of American Jews. The debate highlights the fault lines between different strands of Judaism and the growing influence of ultra-Orthodox Jews in Israel.
• Bush Defends His Legacy In 'Decision Points'
  In his new memoir, Decision Points, former President George W. Bush revisits nearly all the controversial decisions of his tenure — and defends them with vigor. Historian H.W. Brands suspects history won't be as easy on Bush as Bush is on himself.
• First Gay Episcopal Bishop Says Death Threats 'Strengthened My Faith'
  "There is nothing like a death threat to get your attention ... to make you think about God" and to make you realize that "death is not the worst thing -- not living your life, that's the worst thing," V. Gene Robinson says.
• Syl Johnson: Soulful Like Marvin, Funky Like James
  Unlike Marvin Gaye or James Brown, Johnson never had massive success, in spite of a prolific career. A new box set, Syl Johnson: The Complete Mythology, compiles more than 80 recordings from the late 1950s through early 1970s.
• On Eve Of G-20 Summit, Criticism Of U.S. Mounts
  South Korea is preparing for its moment in the sun at the G-20 summit, deploying 45,000 police to prevent any unrest among protesters. But in the run-up to the summit, the global criticism of the U.S. policy of quantitative easing is mounting, with many predicting a showdown. However, first President Obama must get down to business: on Thursday, a summit with the South Korean president when a long-awaited Free Trade Agreement may finally be clinched.
• Human Rights Likely To Figure In U.S.-China Meeting
  When President Obama meets with China's President Hu Jintao at the G-20 summit on Thursday, Obama is likely to mention human rights, and perhaps even bring up the case of imprisoned dissident Liu Xiaobo, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize last month. For some insight into how President Obama might broach the topic, NPR's Melissa Block talks with Kenneth Lieberthal, director of the China Center at the Brookings Institution, and former senior director for Asian Affairs at the National Security Council under President Clinton.
• Hope Fades As Recovery Drags On In Haiti
  As more cholera cases are confirmed in the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince, frustration is growing with the slow pace of the recovery from January's earthquake. More than a million people remain in makeshift camps, and most of the rubble still hasn't been cleared.
• Officials: $42 Million Stolen From Holocaust Fund
  The Justice Department says more than $42 million has been stolen from a fund that pays reparations to survivors of the Holocaust. Seventeen people are accused of wide-ranging fraud involving phony identification documents and other tricks. Six of the defendants worked for the organization that makes decisions on who qualifies for payments.
• 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Repeal In Lame-Duck Hands
  Earlier this year, the House approved a repeal of the law that prevents those who are gay from serving openly in the military. It was part of a larger defense bill, which stalled in the Senate. The lame-duck session of Congress starting Monday may be the last chance Democrats have to get it through.
• Letters: Obscure Words; Fallen Soldiers
  NPR's Melissa Block reads from listener e-mails about adopting obscure words, and a piece about a memorial service for American soldiers in Afghanistan.

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